Screaming residents of Los Angeles were forced to flee their cars on foot as a swift-moving wildfire closed in on the upscale neighborhood of Pacific Palisades. Eyewitness reports captured the chaos, akin to a Hollywood horror film, as the inferno spread rapidly due to high winds.
In a matter of hours on Tuesday, a routine brush fire surged from just 10 acres to thousands, prompting evacuation orders for around 30,000 residents in the scenic area bordering Malibu. Characterized by its scenic hills and seaside roads, Pacific Palisades faced an urgent crisis as the flames drew nearer.
The Pacific Coast Highway, a crucial route for residents seeking safety, quickly became congested. Motorists abandoned their vehicles near Sunset Boulevard, prompted by the warnings of firefighters urging them to leave as the fire approached. Marsha Horowitz, a resident of the area, reported that firefighters informed individuals to evacuate immediately with flames licking the sides of their cars.
One evacuee shared her harrowing experience, describing how she raced home from work upon hearing of the damage. In her desperate bid to rescue her pet, she encountered flaming debris raining down around her. "I'm getting hit with burning palm leaves while I’m running," she recounted. "It felt like a scene from a horror movie."
As dramatic footage unfolded, onlookers detailed homes engulfed in flames while Hollywood celebrities like James Woods and Steve Guttenberg were among those who evacuated their properties. Guttenberg urged those leaving cars behind to leave their keys in the ignition to clear paths for emergency vehicles.
Bulldozers were later enlisted to remove the abandoned cars, enabling the fire crews to access the area and fight the flames. Celebrities including Jennifer Aniston and Tom Hanks are also reported to have properties in the Pacific Palisades area.
Even residents in nearby neighborhoods faced danger, with reports emerging from Topanga Canyon as flames approached. Melanie, a local, described her frantic escape, stating that flames erupted down the hill, forcing her to change course to avoid driving into the approaching fire.
Residents from Venice Beach, six miles away, witnessed the flames and experienced the fallout, with Kelsey Trainor describing the scene of panic as people abandoned their cars, clutching their pets and loved ones. Ellen Delosh-Bacher managed to escape from gridlock, resulting in a harrowing dash to safety with her elderly mother and dogs, aptly summarizing the atmosphere: "This is like an apocalypse."
